Preparing your shipment

Set yourself up for shipping success.

eBay seller's hands holding up a box with eBay branded tape with a green backdrop

Calculate your item’s shipping costs

Having accurate and competitive shipping costs in your listings can generate more bids and future purchases. You can use our shipping calculator to easily estimate how much it would cost to ship a certain item.

Choose your shipping settings

The shipping type you choose appears in your listing and determines the shipping fees your buyer will pay. Each of the three options has its own advantages—pick the one that fits your needs best.

Free shipping

Best for boosting conversion rates.


Buyers often expect free shipping. In fact, they’re more likely to choose an item with free shipping over an item with a shipping fee, even if the total cost is the same. Give your buyers what they want and offer free shipping by adding the shipping cost into your item’s price.

Calculated shipping

Best for saving you money on shipping.


With this shipping option, we automatically update the shipping charge a buyer sees based on their location, the details you provide on your package, and delivery service. This shipping type typically means higher fees for the buyer.

Flat rate shipping

Best for setting a consistent shipping cost.


If you sell similar items, like t-shirts, you can set the same shipping cost for them all. Then, you don’t have to worry about changing the fee with every item you list.

Full time resellers de-mystify shipping options

Hear from experienced sellers about how selecting the right shipping options can make your items more attractive to buyers.

Consider combining your shipments

An extra benefit for buyers who purchase more than one item, let them activate a shipping discount. You can charge a higher shipping cost for the first item and add a lower cost for each additional item. Then combine items into one shipment.

When to use it

Combined shipping is a great option if you sell items that can be easily combined into one box or envelope, such as:

  • Collectibles (toys, action figures, Hot Wheels, Beanie Babies, Funko Pops, etc.)
  • Printed literature (including books, comic books, magazines & other paper ephemera)
  • Recorded media (vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, cassettes, etc.)
  • Clothing
  • Jewelry
  • Many other small and/or light items
Graphic grid with images of small items that can be sold on eBay including collectible figurines, trading cards, watches, AirPods, books, and posters.

Explore more in preparing your shipment

A woman using a measuring tape for an eBay shipping box on top of a weight scale.

Packaging and measuring

How to pack and measure your item for a smooth, secure delivery.

An eBay seller in a storage room taping boxes stacked on top of each other to be shipped with eBay Labels.

Handling time

Learn what handing time is and how it impacts delivery schedule.

A woman’s hands holding on to a package with an eBay label and a hazmat label with a green backdrop.

Shipping hazardous materials

Know how to identify and ship hazardous items.

Looking for more answers?

A stack of eBay branded paper mailjackets with an eBay shipping Label applied on a green backdrop.
Feedback